Automatic flow nipple and separator for oil wells



H. S. BERG.

AUTOMATIC FLOW NIPPLE AND vSEPARATOR FOR OIL WELLS Filed June ll. 1927 O 3 l5/zaal.

@1f nlll I y@ nlgl 'a- @ghn-nl .n l n.Y lll r i 4 w1 wh Patented June 24, 1930 gIJNrrsD stars HANS sYvER BERG, or VENTURA, CALIFORNIA AUTOMATIC lIELOW NIPPLE ANI) SEPABATOR FOR OIL WELLS Application filed June 11, 1927. Serial No. 198,129.

This invention relates to vdevices for controlling the flow of water, sand, oil, gas and the like from oil wells.

One Lobject is to provide a device of such character which will respond to pressure fluctuations in the flowing stream and will be automatic in its operation. Another object is to enable adjustment whereby the range of automatic operation may be varied in the 1o event that such adjustment is required to care for great changes 1n pressure or for change 1n the character of the flowing material, as for example when a flow of water and sand or mud is finally replaced by a flow of oil or oil 15 and gas. And a still further object is to associate with the nipple a means for accomplishing at least a rough separation of water and solids from the oil.

Briefly stated, the invention resides in a flow nipple, or as it is frequently called a flow bean, which comprises a chamber having an inlet and automatic valve controlling said inlet. The valve is movable by the pressure of the incoming stream and against the influence of some yielding` tensioning means such as a spring. The upper one of a pair of outlets from the chamber is controlled by a second valve which may cooperate with a Venturi tube and may conveniently be carried on the stem of the first valve. Means for adjusting the tension may also be provided. The valves yield as the pressure increases. Water and sand or mud may be allowed to separate out in the chamber and 35 leave by the lower outlet while the oil passes out through the venturi around the second valve. When the flow settles down to clean oil the discharge from said outlets may be governed by gate valves therebeyond. The invention also resides in such other features of novelty as may be herein set forth.

In the accompanying drawings wherein one embodiment of the invention is disclosed 145 by way of illustration,

f` 50 the nipples.

VWithin the socket 40 there is disposed a Fig. 3 is a cross section therethrough taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

These drawings show the usual outer casing with the casing head 12 and the flow tube 14 to which is attached the cross fitting 15 from which lead the connections 16 containing gate valves 17, together with the T- fittings 18, bull plugs 19, and other parts of the typical arrangement commonly referred to as the Christmas tree.

From each of the T-fittings 18 there rises a short connection 20 upon which there is' mounted the casing 22 of the receiving chamber which carries the present invention'. At

one end of this chamber an outlet is' provided from which a discharge connection 24 leads to a T 25 connected with a discharge line 26 containing a gate valve 27. Betweenthe T 25 and another T 28 there is provided another gate valve 29 whereby oil may be transferred from connection 24 toa discharge line 30 which also receives oil from a connection 31 which in turn receives from an upper chamber contained in a housing 32 smaller than the receiving chamber and mounted thereupon through the medium of a Venturi tube 33 threaded into a collar which is bolted to the top of the casing 22 and provides an upper outlet therefrom. 1

The inlet of the casing 22 is provided with a tapered seat 35 cooperating AwithV acone valve 86 carried on the lower endvof a stem 37 which passes upward throughthe lower conical portion 88 of the Venturi bore and is joined at 39 tothe lower end of a sleeve or socket 40 whose lower portion is in the form of a taperedv valve41rcooperating with the upper conical portion 42 of the Venturi bore.

spring 44 engaged by the lower end of an adjusting spindle 45 which passes up through the housing 32 and through a packing gland 46 in a block 48 bolted to lthe housingV and carrying a bracket 49V which supports` an ad- .justing wheel 50 for the spindle 45. The ylower'end of the spindleserves as a guide for f the valve 41 while the lower'valve 36 is guided by a series of pins 52k depending from a ring 54 threaded into the casing 22 atthe upper outletand engaging in grooves within the rim of said valve 36.

In operation, the incoming flow of water, mud or oil or mixture thereoi1 lifts lthe valve 36 in proportion to th-e pressure of the stream and the tension of the spring 44, the latter being adjusted as desired'by the hand wheel 50. Thecapa'city of the chamber 22 is Sullicient to permit at least a fair separation of Water, sand and mud from the oil, the water and heavier materials then llowing' out through the connection 24 and being discharged through thev line 26 past the gate valve 27, the valve 29 beingclosed. The oil rises above the water and passes up tliroi'igl'i the Venturi 1bore 38, 42 around the Valve 4l, and by way of the chamber 32 to the con-nection 3l and discharge line 30. The venturi has considerable value since it .permits an easy flow Vof the oil and reduces turbulence, thereby in tur-n reducing the formation or" emulsions with any small amou-nts of water which may bercarried over with the oil. Whenthe liow clears up and only 'oil and gas come through, the valve 2T willbe closed, the tension ofthespring 44 adjusted if necessary, and preferably the valve 29 will be opened so that'the bull; of the 1ilow may be through said valve 29. In any event, `the tension of the spring and the ,weight or" the valve 36 tend `to regulate the .flow of liquichthe low inlet being reduced 'as the 'pressure drops and inlcreased asthe pressure rises, whereby the flow is properly controlledas the conditions vary.

Y Vhat I claim is valves to urge them toward the respective in- -cally operating valve for controlling said in-` K let, an automatically operating valve for controlling tfhe upper outlet, fand tensioning means for said valves, whereby the valves open as Ithe pressure of the incoming fluid stream increases.

In witness that I claim lthe''foregoing Iihave hereunto subscribed my name this 18th day of May, 1927.

1, -In -a l'low nipple, a receiving chamber Y,

lhaving an inlet, a lower outletand an upper outlet, a-second chamber connected with said upper outlet and Areceiving therefrom, a Venturi tube forming said connection, and connected-tensioned valves -for said inlet and said Venturi tube to `control the flow into the respective chambers.

2. A flow nipple chamber having an inlet, an upper outlet'and a lower outlet, saidchamberbeing adapted to ,permittheseparation of oil and water therecomprising a receiving lin whereby water may -low from the lower Y outlet andoil .from the upper outlet,anauto matically operating valvefor controlling said inlet, an automatically operating valve for controlling ,the upper outlet, and tensioning means or'said valves whereby the valves open as the pressure of themcoming stream 1ncreases. Y

3. A "flowl'm'pp'le comprising al receiving 'chamber havinga'n inlet, a lower outlet and 'a'n upper outlet, aseco'nd chamber carried Vabove vthe I'receii'rint'g chamber and lhaving Aan inlet connected'with said-upper outlet, a valve :in-saidreceiving chamber controlling Ithe iin'- 'let the`r`etO,-a stem Ffo'r said valve projecting finto the' inlet to 'the second chamber, avalv'e lmounted on said stem and controlling the said inlet, and fmeans for tensioningfsaid li130 Y HANS srvnu BERG. y 

